The Highlander and the Sea Monster
by IndieGothGirl
Summary: The Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves in Scotland 1746 where a serious of gruesome murders has occurred.  With the help of an old friend the Doctor must solve the mysterious murders before it is too late. Rated T due to mild violence and implied rape
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Doctor Who and its respective creations belong to the BBC and their respective creations. I own nothing just using them for this fanfic. Some characters are original creations invented for the purpose of the story.

Author Note: I intend this to be one part of a series of stories staring the Doctor, Amy, Rory and one of the Doctor's former companions, however, it may take a while to upload the whole series as I am due to start university in a month and may not have the time available to write. I will update this story with a new chapter each evening as it is already written.

**The Highlander and the Sea Monster**

"_Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours."_

_Ludwig van Beethoven_

**Chapter 1**

The wind whistled and howled its way through the Highlands as a lone figure crossed the desolate moors. The man was in his early 30s with ginger hair and a rough beard. He carried a caber and a dirk and wore the traditional dress of the Scottish clans. His tartan was red and green with black and red, thus identifying the man as belonging to the clan MacLean of Deart, on the Isle of Mull. The man's name was Donald MacLean; several years ago he and his cousin had come to work on the crofts near Inverness, where Donald had met and married a local girl, Muirgen McDowell.

Donald had been lucky. After the Jacobite defeat at Culloden the English Army, often known as the Redcoats, had been searching the Highlands for any Highlanders involved in the failed Rebellion whom they not already been caught and arrested. Two days ago Donald had been caught by the army at Culloden Moor and had been forced to march the three miles to Inverness where the Duke of Cumberland had emptied the gaols of all previous prisoners and filled them full of the captured Jacobites instead.

Fortunately, Donald had managed to escape from the young and, therefore, inexperienced soldiers who had been tasked with escorting him to Inverness and was now making his way back to Culloden to warn the others who were still out there that the Duke of Cumberland and his man were coming to find them and rid the Highlands of the "Jacobite menace" once and for all.

Unfortunately, as often is the way in the Scottish Highlands, a mist soon began to descend on poor Donald MacLean. Like all Highlanders Donald was accustomed to the dense mists that often settled in Scotland but it was difficult to see and, being from Mull, he did not know the area well and he soon became lost.

Eventually, the mist cleared slightly and Donald found himself on a remote beach. Weary and completely lost he decided to have a rest on the soft, grassy dunes beneath his feet. Before long he had drifted off to sleep completely unaware that he was being watched!

When Donald awoke, several hours later, it was dusk and the sun was beginning to set. The Highlander began to panic. He needed to get back to Culloden and warn the others that the Duke of Cumberland was on his way to find and arrest them but he knew he would never get there on time. Oh if only he hadn't slept for so long!

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound nearby. Instinctively, he grabbed his dirk with the full intention of using it if he needed to. A lone figure stepped out of the bushes, followed by another and another until there is soon a sizeable group of women surrounding him. If Donald had been an observant man he would have noticed an unusual feature about all these women. They all layer of skin between their fingers and toes; giving a webbed appearance.

'Don't come any closer!' Donald says, pointing his dirk at them, 'I ken how tae us this an' I will if I have tae.'

'We mean ye nay harm, Donald MacLean, we are on your side,' a women with blonde hair answers.

On hearing the Scottish drawl in the woman's voice Donald relaxes his hand. 'Who are ye, how dae ye ken my name?' he asks.

'We are friends of ye wife, Muirgen,' the woman answers. 'What are ye doing out here without the rest of ye clan. Should ye no' be hiding in case the Redcoats find ye?'

Donald explained that he had already escaped from the Redcoats and that he was on his way back to Culloden to tell his clansmen that the Redcoats were on their way but he got lost in the mist and fallen asleep.

'An' now I'll no' get back tae the moor afore the Redcoats dae. It's all lost.'

'Disna' worry!' the woman exclaimed. 'We ken a short cut that will get ye back there afore the Redcoats arrive.'

'Please, show me the way!'

For several minutes they made their way over the dunes. When it seemed to Donald they were heading the wrong way he piped up:

'Are ye sure this is a shortcut?'

His companions turned to face him, an evil smile upon their faces.

'Nay,' their leader spoke, 'this is nae shortcut. This is where ye die, Donald MacLean!'

'What? I thought ye were Scots, loyal tae the Prince.'

'That we are,' the woman replied, 'but we are no' loyal to people who hurt our sister!'

'Sister, what sister?'

'Muirgen,' the woman stated. 'We know how you have beaten and abused her and now it is time to make ye pay!'

Before Donald could react several of the group had pinned him to ground. He desperately tried to reach his dirk but Muirgen's sister was too quick for him and got to it first. She stabbed Donald thrice through the heart. When she was sure the man was dead she ordered her sisters to strip the body of its skin. When the task was done she spat at the body and hissed:

'Now ye'll ne'er hurt our sister again!'

Then she and her sisters made their way towards the sea, leaving the skinned body to rot upon the beach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The TARDIS whooshed through time and space. Inside its occupants, a strange man with brown hair and a bow-tie, a girl wearing shorts and with ginger hair and a man, about the same age as the girl, with cropped mousey hair were being jostled about the time machine.

Suddenly, the TARDIS seemed to stop, causing both the Doctor and Amy Pond to fall backwards. They both got up in fits of laughter.

Rory Williams merely rolled his eyes at his friend and his wife, 'Honestly, you two!' he cried.

'Oh lighten up, Rory!' Amy exclaimed, turning to the Doctor, she said: 'Where are we?'

'Not sure,' The Doctor replied. 'Why don't you go and take a look, Pond.'

'Alright, I'm going!' she cried. 'Come on, Rory!'

Cautiously, the two companions opened the door to the TARDIS. The old police box doors creaked open and Amy and Rory peered out at their new surroundings.

The landscape around them was barren and bare. In the distance they could both make out the rise of a mountain range. A harsh and bitter wind whipped across the open moorland.

'Doctor,' Amy called out, 'where is this place? There's nothing here!'

The Doctor made his way to the TARDIS entrance. He took one look at the surroundings at said:

'Surely you must recognise this place, Pond.'

'Nope, no a clue, so come on Mr. Smarty-pants, where are we?'

The Doctor mock tutted and then said: 'Fancy not recognising your own country, Pond.'

Amy looked at him puzzled but Rory smiled. He had worked out what the Doctor was referring to.

'Is this Scotland?' he asked.

'Well done, Rory! At least someone in this TARDIS is using his brain!'

'Oh come on, Doctor, I was six when I left Scotland!' Amy exclaimed. 'How was I to know what you were referring to?'

At the moment the trio were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching them. In the next moment a man appeared. He wore a long, flapped waistcoat over which he sported a wide-skirted, heavily buttoned coat of a deep scarlet colour, his breeches were also scarlet and covered to the mid-thigh with spatterdash gaiters of white and grey. Completing his outfit he wore a black tricorne hat, held in place by a tight stock which ensured that he looked the only way a solider should; straight in front of him. Slung across his back he was carrying a musket gun, a weapon which had changed little from its first conception forty years previously. It would be clear to anyone of this time that the man was a Redcoat, a member of the English Army and, therefore, completely loyal to King George.

The man eyed the Doctor and his two companions with great suspicion.

'How have you gotten here? Where have you come from?' he asked.

'What's with the interrogation?' Amy demanded. 'We are merely travellers, passing through the area'.

The man noticed the Scottish lilt in her speech and frowned. 'You, girl, speak with the mongrel dialect of the Highlanders, you're coming with me.' He grabbed her by the arm.

'Hey, let go of my wife!' Rory yelled at him.

The Redcoat paid Rory no heed as he marched Amy off to the gaol the Doctor and Rory desperately trying to follow behind them.

DWDWDW

The sun rose steadily over the sands as the dawn broke. The waves rose softly over the rocks for the tide was out. An oystercatcher stood in the stagnant water of one of the rock pools, its long beak searching the rocks for the limpets and mussels it so loved to eat.

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps approaching. The oystercatcher, alarmed at their approach, took to the air with a loud, penetrating _kleep _cry. At that exact moment a group of men reached the edge of the rock pool and stopped.

The men were all stocky and well-built Highlanders, each wearing a kilt and plaid bearing the tartans of the Jacobite rebel clans.

The leader of the group, Hamish MacDonnell, paused and looked about him. He was a strong man with broad-set shoulders and had a brown beard and hair which was topped with a tam o' shanter, making him appear every inch the Highlander. He cast about him and, assured that the enemy was nowhere to be found, turned to his men and said:

'Looks like we're aye clear of those Redcoat scum, lads. I think we should bide here for a while and get some rest.'

'Good,' one of the rank and file whispered to his mate, 'we've aye been at it all night a-runnin' from those Redcoats.'

They were about to settle down when suddenly there was a shout from somewhere close by:

'Hamish, come and see this!' cried Angus Cameron.

'What is it?'

Hamish rushed to Angus' side. Hamish could see the whites of his eyes and was concerned. Angus was a stanch fellow; nothing fazed him. What could have frightened him so? He followed Angus' outstretched hand.

Nothing could have prepared Hamish for what he saw next. Lying in the sand was the body of another Highlander. That in itself was not unusual for they had all seen enough dead bodies recently to last them a lifetime. No, what shocked Hamish was that the entire body had been stripped off its skin so that the muscle and fat tissue of the corpse was exposed.

Hamish took a stumbling step backwards, his stomach churned at the hideous sight which lay before him and it was all he could to resist the urge not be sick.

''Tis a horrible sight,' Angus stated, voicing what they were all thinking.

'Aye that it is. Who was he, does anyone ken?' Hamish asked.

At that moment another one of Hamish's group came forward. He was a stolid man with wiry ginger hair and a scar on one cheek. His name was Sandy MacLean. He too took one look at the body.

A look of recognition seemed to dawn on Sandy's face before he paled and moved away from the offending sight.

'What is it Sandy?' Hamish asked.

'I dinnae want tae believe it but there's nae denying it. It's my cousin, Donald MacLean! Who could have done such a horrific thing to him?'

'It's the Redcoats,' someone else piped up. 'It's got tae be!'

'Surely this is too barbaric a killing for them tae have executed,' Angus whispered to Hamish.

'I dinnae ken but there's only one tae find out.' Aloud he said: 'Come on, lads, we march for Inverness!'

DWDWDW

Lieutenant Smythe was a tall, skinny, middle-aged man with a self-assured air about him which had helped him rise through the ranks of the English Army quickly. Born in Gloucester in 1698 it had been expected of him that he would follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps and become a Cotswold farmer. At the age of 17, despairing of the poverty and hardships that a farmer's life would bring, he had run away to London to join the English Army. The year was 1715 and the first Jacobite uprising was underway. Almost immediately he was shipped, along with other men his own age, to the fields of Sheriffmuir in Scotland to engage in bloody warfare.

Smythe was a loyal solider and, as result, unlike many of his comrades had never received the whip or the cat. It was this loyalty, as well as the excellent knowledge he had, due to his experiences in 1715 uprising, of the Scottish Highlands and the behaviour of its people that had convinced the Duke of Cumberland that Smythe was the right man to command one of the Inverness gaols where the captured rebels were to be kept until they could be executed or sold abroad as slaves.

Presently, Smythe was sitting back in his chair, calmly sipping a glass of port. He had sent his men out on another exploration to see if they could find some of the Rebel criminals who had so far managed to evade his capture. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and one of the soldiers entered. Behind him followed two young men and a young woman. They were all dressed in unusual clothes especially the ginger haired young woman whose skirt was much too short to be considered appropriate attire.

'Who are these people?' he asked the solider.

'Sir, I found the two young gentlemen and their female companion wondering around the moors of Culloden,' the solider explained.

'What were they doing there?'

'The girl says they were merely travellers; passing through the area.'

'And you do not believe her?' Smythe queried.

'No sir, she speaks with the brogue of the Highlanders. She most surely be a Rebel, lying in an attempt to avoid getting caught.'

'And the two gentlemen?'

'They were with the girl, sir, they are English; traitors to the crown!'

'Is that so?' Smythe eyed the captives.

'As my companion said we are merely travellers,' the Doctor began to explain but Smythe cut him short.

'Take these two to the dungeons,' he ordered, pointing at Amy and Rory, 'I will deal with them later. I want to talk to this one a little more first,' he points to the Doctor.

The solider lead Amy and Rory out of the room, Amy was struggling and screaming, Rory merely followed behind her.

Before the Lieutenant even got chance to speak to the Doctor a guard bursts into the room. From the panting of his breath it is clear he has run in from the sentry post.

'What is the meaning of this interruption?'

'Sir, there's a whole group of Highlander's heading straight for us,' the guard panted.

'Well don't just stand there, man, get some men out there and arrest them!'

'Yes, sir!'

However, before the guard had a chance to even think about carrying out his Lieutenant's orders the door to Smythe's office was flung open and a group of Highlanders stood in the doorway.

DWDWDW

The cell was dark and dank with a musty smell. What little light there was shone through a small window but it was not enough to brighten up the cell; because of this the prisoner no longer knew whether it was day or night, or how much time had passed since he was first incarcerated in the gaol.

He was a young man; no more than a boy, in fact. He was a piper, just like his father before him, and a Jacobite, loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie. Like all Highlanders he wore a plaid and kilt in the tartan of his clan. His hands were stretched out above him, shackled to the wall and in an attempt, by his captors, to prevent him from reaching either the dirk attached to his kilt or the smaller knife which was tucked into the top of one his hose.

The blood tickled down his arms like a slow-flowing stream from where the binds dug into his skin. His mouth was as dry as a desert and his tongue felt like sandpaper. He was thirsty and his stomach rumbled from lack of hunger. Save for a few scraps of bread it had been weeks since he had eaten properly but he was too weak and tired too care anymore.

He sure that any day now the English guards would come and take him away to be executed, after all, he had chased a Redcoat over the moor and then run him through with his claymore. He had tried to on, several occasions, explain to his captors that it had been a pure act of self-defence, the Redcoat solider had shot at him first, but his words fell on deaf ears. The English Army were in no mood to listen to the words of some barbaric, primitive Highlander, not when he had killed one of their own.

Yet, instead of hanging him, they had kept alive, not that it was any better an experience than been hung would have been. He had been repeatedly tortured and beaten by his captors, his back riddled with scars which he had received from a cat o' nine tails. He didn't understand why they had kept him alive; it never occurred to him that, like his own Clansmen, his captors thought him crazy; with all his talk of travelling in a magic blue box with a strange man and visiting the moon and the stars, after all war did strange things to young lads like him, and that his ramblings were often the only entertainment the English soldiers had in this otherwise harsh, humourless environment.

Suddenly, he heard voices outside in the corridor. He shivered, recognising them as the voices of Smythe's guards, no doubt come to take him away for another torturing session.

'What shall we do with these two?'

'Oh, I don't know, put them in the cell with the "Mad One." Let's see how long they last listening to him rambling on about the stars!'

At that moment the door to the cell was opened and two young people were thrown inside, a boy and girl. The girl was shouting and cursing the guards, her words as fiery as the colour of her hair. The Highlander noted her Scots accent but didn't recognise her.

'Hey,' the redhead girl yelled, 'you cannot treat us like this! Just wait until the Doctor hears about this; then you'll be sorry!'

Her words fell on deaf ears as the guard slammed to the door shut behind him.

'What do we do now?' she asked her companion.

'Nothing much we can do, just hope the Doctor can figure a way to get us out of here,' he replied, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

It had been a long time since the young Highlander had spoken to anyone. The abuse and torture had broken his will and playing mute had become his defence mechanism against it all but something compelled him to speak up now.

'Ye'll no' get out o' here,' he found himself saying, shocked at how weak his voice sounded. 'There's only one end for us in here an' that's hanging from the gallows.'

Alarmed at the sound of the voice Amy and Rory instantly spun round. Tied to the wall they could see a man in a tattered kilt. His face, riddled with scars, made him look haggard and old. His body was dangerously thin and bony. It is clear he had not been fed properly for weeks. Staring into his eyes Amy could see the suffering the man had endured shinning within them and yet, underneath that, there was a sparkle and youthfulness about them and Amy decides that the man cannot really be as old as his war-torn face is making him appear.

There is silence for a long time as Amy and Rory take in the sight of the battered Jacobite. Suddenly, Amy's mobile phone begins to ring. She pulls it out of her pocket to answer it. At the sight of the phone the young Jacobite's eyes widen with exclamation.

'Hey, it's a wee telephone,' he exclaims, with such youthful enthusiasm that Amy and Rory realise he must be no more than a boy.

Amy stares at the young Highlander with bewilderment and curiosity. _How can an 18__th__ Century Scottish Highlander possibly know what a telephone is?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The group of Highlanders were a formidable bunch as they stood in front of Lieutenant Smythe. The long plaid they wore, which could be belted in a kilt was often their only means of dress. Elaborations were for their betters. As mentioned elsewhere in this story, each man also carried with him a number of weapons, either a claymore or a broadsword which, when used in battle, was swung over their head in a circular motion before being thrust into their enemies, and a small thrusting knife known as a dirk.

The hilts of these dirks were often traditionally carved from dark coloured wood such as bog oak (a wood that had been buried in peat bogs and thus preserved from decay) or ebony. Scottish dirks were often lavishly decorated with silver mounts and had pommels set with cairngorm stones. The blades of most Scottish dirks measured 12" in length and were single edged with decorative file work known as "jimping" on the unsharpened back edge of the blade. When worn, the dirk normally hung by a leather strap known as a "frog" from a dirk belt, which is a wide leather belt having a large, usually ornate buckle that is worn around the waist of the kilt.

Finally a small knife known as a s_gian-dubh _(pronounced "skeen-doo") was worn tucked into the one kilt hose (a long pair of socks) with the hilt always visibly exposed, so that the Highlander had easy access to the small knife should he need to use it.

For the past 20 minutes the Highlanders and Smythe had been going around in circles with each other. The Highlanders had come storming into the room demanding to know if Smythe and his men had been involved in the murder of Donald MacLean. Smythe had tried to be as diplomatic as he could, but when it came to such barbaric creatures as these Highlanders, tact got you nowhere. Diplomacy just wasn't a word in the Highlanders vocabulary, Smythe thought.

Suddenly Hamish banged his fists on Smythe's desk in frustration.

'Enough o' this beating round the bush. I just want a straight answer tae a straight question,' he bellowed at Smythe. 'Where ye, or any of your men, involved in the murder of Donald MacLean?'

'As I have already said, sir, I cannot answer that question. If you would be so kind as to wait I can make some enquiries.'

Hamish turned back to his group of Highlanders.

'Make some enquiries he says! I've had enough o' this, lads. What's say I run this laddie through wi' my claymore!'

At this comment there was a roar of cheers from the gathered Highlanders. The Doctor, sensing that things were starting to get out of hand, decided he'd better intervene before he found himself in the middle of a bloodbath.

'Perhaps I can help you, gentlemen.'

Both Hamish and Smythe turned towards the Doctor. The burly Highlander looked the man up and down. He wore such strange clothes the likes of which Hamish had never seen before; a bow-tie; braces and a tweed jacket with leather patches. The man had the largest head Hamish had ever seen and unruly brown hair. He spoke with an English accent and this automatically made Hamish suspicious of the man. The Highlander was not at all enthralled by the man's first impressions and failed to see how he could assist them.

'How can ye help us?' the Highlander demanded.

'I am a Thief Taker,' the Doctor stated, flashing his psychic paper at the two men.

In the 18th Century there was no established police service (this was would not be achieved until the 19th Century). Policing was seen as a local government issue and any police constables were unpaid. Many victims of crime would often rely on the services of a Thief Taker, a person privately hired to catch the perpetrators of crime. Many of these Thief Takers were little more than bounty hunters and often than not could not be trusted even by those who had hired them. One of the most notorious Thief Takers was Jonathan Wild who was often in collaboration with the very thieves he had been employed to catch!

'We do not need the assistance of a Thief Taker,' Hamish scorned. 'We ken who the murderer is an' we can serve justice ourselves!'

Smythe, on the other hand, desperate to get this whole mess cleared up and these primitive rebels out of hair or, better yet, locked up in the gaol was more than willing to let the stranger assist them especially if it would get this all thing sorted out sooner rather than later. Turning to the Doctor he smiled and said:

'I would be more than willing to let you assist us, sir, it's just a shame our Rebel friends do not seem to share my enthusiasm, perhaps they are the ones who have something to hide.'

'What are ye implying?' Hamish barked.

'I'm not implying anything,' Smythe smiled, coyly, 'but you will forgive me of being slightly suspicious of the motives of a man who comes in here demanding answers to his clansman's murder and then refuses the help offered to him.'

At that moment there was nothing that Hamish would have enjoyed more than running his claymore through the smug English bastard but he knew that would do nothing but earn him a one way ticket to the hangman's noose. Clinching his fists in frustration he merely said, dejectedly:

'Very well, what is it ye want us tae dae?'

'First you will free my friends,' he replied pointing a Smythe.

'No, they are Rebel spies!' Smythe protested.

'One chance, Lieutenant, release them or I will take matters into my own hands.'

Smythe stood his ground refusing to back down. For a few moments he and the Doctor stared intently at each other; eye to eye. As Smythe stared into the Doctor's eyes he saw such a rage and intensity as he has never witnessed in a person before, not even the Highlanders seemed as threatening as this man. It was then that he realised that the Doctor was a dangerous man to get on the wrong side of and that if he did not give the Doctor what he wanted he will feel a greater wrath than anything the Highlanders on his own superiors could inflict upon him.

'Very well, Doctor.' He turned to face two guards. 'Show the Doctor where he can find his friends.'

The guards saluted and then asked the Doctor to follow them. He did so with the Highlanders close behind him.

DWDWDW

Amy and Rory were sitting on the cold dungeon floor, their backs pressed against the wall when, suddenly Amy shivered. Rory took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, pressing her close to him.

'Do you think the Doctor will get us out of here?' he asked.

As always Amy's faith in the Doctor was unwavering. 'Of course, stupid face! He's the Doctor; he always saves the day in the end.'

It was at times like this that Rory wished he could have his wife's blind faith in the Doctor. To Rory the Doctor still seems like a madman with a box; granted, the man's a genius and the box _is_ a time machine but still a madman with a box nonetheless.

At that moment the door was sung wide open and the Doctor stood in the doorway, a huge grin upon his face.

'Amy, Rory!' he exclaimed.

'Doctor!' Amy cried. 'See, I told you he would get us out here,' she whispered to Rory before running towards the Doctor.

As the Doctor and Amy embraced a low audible groan broke out from the wall. Looking up the Doctor could see a young man, no more than seventeen, shackled to the wall. The young man was clearly a Highlander as he was dressed in the traditional plaid and kilt of the Highlanders. The Doctor stared at the young man's face and was shocked at what he saw. There were several nasty scars on his face, some older than others, which made the young man appear older than he was, there was also several bruises on his legs from where he had been kicked. Bones protruded out from beneath the skin making it obvious to the Doctor that the young man had not eaten properly in weeks.

The Doctor was seething over the state of the young man. He turned on Smythe and hissed:

'What have you done to that young man?'

'He should consider himself lucky he wasn't killed for what he did. He chased one of my men across Culloden Moor and then murdered the solider in cold blood!'

'That's still no excuse to inflict such cruelty; he's no more than a boy!'

'He won't know what's going on,' Smythe protested. 'The war has sent him crazy!'

The Doctor rounded on Smythe. An almost electrifying tension seemed to fill the air and the Doctor had a dangerous glint in his eyes. The look that always sent shivers down Rory's spine and raised the hairs on the back of Amy's neck. The look that Amy had dubbed the "Hulk Glare" as whenever the Doctor used it she half expected him to quote the "don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!" line used by the _Incredible Hulk_ character.

'You have 5 minutes to release that man,' the Doctor ordered pointing at the young Highlander.

'And if I don't?' Smythe raised an eyebrow.

'Then I will ensure that you never forget it!' the Doctor threatened.

Smythe swallowed in nervousness, whoever this man was and wherever he had come from he was not a force to be reckoned with. He ordered his men to release the young Jacobite.

Slowly the soldiers released the young Jacobite from his chains. Realising that the young man's body was too weak to support itself the Doctor raced to his side, catching him as he plummeted to floor like a stone. The Doctor gently lowered the young man the rest of the way to floor, softly, brushing the straggly brown hair out of the young man's eyes. The young man twisted and groaned at the touch but the Doctor calmed him.

'Hush,' the Doctor whispered, 'it's alright your safe now. I'm a friend. What's your name?'

The man moved his lips to speak but is voice was so dry and weak for lack of use that no words came out. The Doctor turned to one of the guards and snapped:

'Quick, get me some water!'

The man hurried away and returned several minutes later with a small glass of water. He handed it to the Doctor who beckoned Amy near him.

'While I keep his head back I want you to gently slide the water down his throat,' the Doctor ordered.

The Doctor gently lifted the young man's head so that the water would go down easier. Amy pressed the glass to the young man's lips, which parted slightly and gently tipped the glass to allow the water to slide down into the young man's throat. As he worked Amy whispered to the Doctor:

'Doctor, there's something strange about this young man. My mobile rang earlier and when I took it out to answer it he made a comment about it being a "wee telephone." How can someone from this period of time know what a telephone is?'

The Doctor was as puzzled as Amy and yet as he looked at the young man there was something familiar about the ragged, brown hair and wild hazel eyes which now stared around in fear.

'It's alright,' the Doctor said as the young man jerked away from him. 'I'm the Doctor. I'm here to help.'

'I ken'd a man called the Doctor once,' the young man muttered, 'he took me to the moon an' the stars. I saw such creatures, the Daleks, Cybermen and a big, hairy beastie called a Yeti.'

The Doctor jumped back as though he had just been electrocuted.

_Could it be? No, of course not the Time Lord's had wiped his memory. Still there may be a chance_.

'What is your name?' the Doctor repeated.

'James Robert McCrimmon,' the young man instantly replied.

_Jamie! I knew it was you!_

DWDWDW

Amy watched the Doctor in fascination. She knew the Doctor well enough by now to be able to read his body language and facial expressions rather well. She could see from the glint of recognition in his eyes that the Doctor knew the young man from somewhere and she was determined to find out where and how.

'I know that look, Doctor,' she stated, 'you know this young man. Who is he?'

The Doctor sighed. There was certainly no fooling Amelia Pond.

'This is James Robert McCrimmon, piper to the McLaren clan, who are staunch Jacobites, anyway, Jamie travelled with me in the TARDIS a long time ago, while for me anyway, not for him,' the Doctor explained. 'In his time frame I would have met Jamie a few weeks ago and now he should be travelling with my second incarnation but for me all that happened hundreds of years ago.'

'What do you mean, Doctor, how can be travelling with you and yet be here?' Amy asked.

'Wibbley-wobbley, timey-wimey stuff, Pond,' was all the Time Lord would say.

It always infuriated Amy when the Doctor used his "wibbley-wobbley, timey wimey" catchphrase to try and explain something. It meant that he either wasn't prepared to explain things further to her, or just didn't know, probably the latter_, _she thought.

'But what happened to him, how is he still here?' interjected Rory.

'Ah.'

'What do you mean _ah_?' Amy asked.

'Well, to cut a long story short, Jamie and I ran into a spot of bother. It was too much for me to deal with on my own so I had to call upon the assistance of my people, the Time Lords.'

'But I thought you said you were last of your kind, Doctor?' Amy stated.

'I am but, you see, when Jamie was travelling me they had yet to be wiped out.'

'I thought you said your people had been wiped out millennia ago?'

'Yes I did, Pond, but you have to remember-'

'Yes I know, wibbley-wobbley, timey-wimey,' she rolled her eyes.

'Yes, exactly, anyway, as I was saying, I called the Time Lords for help, which they did, but they wanted to punish me for running away in the TARDIS (the Doctor did not mention he had, in fact, stole the TARDIS) and, as they called it, "meddling in the affairs of others." The Time Lords only observed what was going on in other times and places and never interfered.'

'Get on with it, Doctor!' an infuriated Amy cried.

'Yes Pond, answers needed. Well, I was put on trial and my punishment was to be exiled to 1970s Earth, unable to use the TARDIS to leave.'

'What about Jamie?'

'I'm coming to that. Jamie and my other companion, Zoe, were sent back to their own times with their memories of our adventures together erased.'

'So they didn't remember anything at all?' Rory asked.

'Apart from the first time we met, no,' the Doctor answered.

Amy shuddered. She was glad the Time Lords were no longer around to do that to her. She would hate to lose her memories of the Doctor and the amazing things she and Rory experienced since joining him.

A thought occurred to Amy. 'Doctor, he must remember something beyond that first adventure. He mentioned the Daleks and the Cybermen. I know they can time travel but surely he did not meet them in 1746, or at least not both of them?'

'Yes but how can he remember anything if his memory was wiped?' Rory added.

The Doctor pondered what his two companions were saying. He didn't know how Jamie could remember the memories that the Time Lords had assured him had been wiped. Yet, as the Doctor thought back to his adventures with Jamie, he recalled that there always something a little special about Jamie, some suppressed psychic abilities that the young piper was unaware he possessed but which the Doctor knew the young man had exhibited before, such as the time when Jamie, Ben, Polly and himself had faced the Macra and Jamie was able to sense and reject a form of brainwashing while asleep.

_Could Jamie's subconscious mental abilities have been able to repel the Time Lord's memory wipe?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Several hours had passed since the Doctor had first found Jamie. During that time the Doctor had ordered that Jamie be moved to the gaol's medical room, which was normally used to treat injured soldiers, where he could get the rest he needed. Frightened of occurring the Doctor's wrath Smythe had agreed.

Presently, Jamie was lying peacefully asleep in a bed. The Doctor was sitting on a nearby chair casually browsing through a magazine that he had retrieved from somewhere within the TARDIS. Suddenly Jamie stirred and woke; putting down the magazine the Doctor softly laid his hand on Jamie's. The touch seemed to revive Jamie and he opened his eyes, blinking slightly as they adjusted themselves to the light.

As soon as he was accustomed to the light Jamie noticed a figure standing over him. He was a strange-looking character with wavy brown hair, a long face, bow-tie, braces and a tweed jacket. Jamie gazed at the man in confusion. There was something familiar about this odd fellow he just couldn't figure out what.

'Do I ken ye?' he asked, his brow creasing with confusion.

The Doctor paused unsure of how to reply. If his theory was right and Jamie's hidden psychic abilities had allowed him to remember the Doctor than surely the young man would recognise him. But then, he had regenerated (several times in fact) and was no longer the man Jamie would have known. Still, the Doctor thought, there was no harm in testing his little theory.

'Jamie, it's me, it's the Doctor!'

Jamie looked at him as though he had two heads. At that moment the Doctor's hearts sank. He had been wrong about Jamie's abilities, after all? However, at that moment Jamie said:

'You're no' the Doctor. The Doctor's a wee clever man. You're tae tall.'

The Doctor smiled. He had been right! Jamie did remember him just not this incarnation which, of course, he had not met before. How could the Doctor reassure the young Scot that he was the same man whom he had travelled with all those years ago? Suddenly a memory came to him, while travelling with him Jamie had met another incarnation of the Doctor. Now the Doctor just needed to remind the young Scot of that fact.

'Jamie, do you remember when you travelled me?' the Doctor said, gently.

Jamie nodded.

'Do you remember when you met another Doctor?'

Jamie thought for a moment then his face lightened. 'Aye,' he said, 'the blonde haired one with the multi-coloured coat and Peri. I liked Peri,' he smiled. 'He said he was my Doctor.'

'And he was and so am I.'

'Ach, how can ye be him an' my Doctor? He said ye could change your face but I still dinnae understand.'

The Doctor remembered that Jamie was a practical-minded young man and that sometimes the best way to make Jamie understand something was to show the young man what he meant. With that in mind he reached forward and gently placed his hands on either side of Jamie's head, instantly sensing the psychic ability that practically oozed from every orifice of Jamie's body. The young man looked at him suspiciously but he was quick to reassure him.

'It's alright, Jamie. I'm just going to show you something.'

With that the Doctor closed his eyes and went into a deep trance, concentrating he began to project the mental images of all his previous incarnations into Jamie's mind.

At that moment Jamie saw the images of several different men flash in his mind. A grumpy old man, then a small clownish man (who Jamie recognised as the Doctor), a dandy, a man with a hat and a long scarf, the next one who wore some sort of vegetable on his lapel, the blonde haired man with the multi-coloured coat whom Jamie had met before, another man with a hat and an umbrella, a man dressed in Edwardian clothes, another with a leather jacket, the next with a suit and trainers. Finally the images stopped with an image of the man Jamie had just met. Gently, the Doctor moved his hands from the young man's head and Jamie opened his eyes.

'Doctor!' he cried. 'It is ye! This means I dinnae dream ye up! I'm no' mad!'

'Of course you're not mad!'

'What are ye doing here though?'

'The TARDIS brought me here.'

'Ye still cannae control it then?' Jamie chuckled.

'Hey, I can control it very well, thank you.'

Jamie merely rolled his eyes in disbelief.

'Anyway, Jamie McCrimmon, I cannot stand around chatting to you all day I've got a murder to investigate.'

This seemed to pique Jamie's curiosity.

'What's happened?' he asked.

The Doctor explained about the Highlanders finding a body on the beach.

'And ye just have tae get involved, eh Doctor?'

'Well, I have offered my assistance. It would be wrong not to help them now.'

'Ye may change your appearance, Doctor, but ye ne'er change inside. Ye just cannae resist getting involved.'

The Doctor made no reply and moved towards the door.

'Can I no' come with ye, Doctor?' Jamie suddenly asked.

'Are you sure you're up to it? You've been injured.'

'Ach, I'll be fine. Ye know me, Doctor, tough as old boots. Come on, let me come it'll be just like old times.'

'Oh, alright then but no wondering off.'

Jamie smiled, 'I wouldnae dream of it.'

DWDWDW

'I warn ye all this will turn the stomach of even the most gallant of men,' Hamish said grimly as he pulled back the tattered blanket that lay over the body of Donald MacLean.

The Highlanders had laid the body of Donald MacLean out on a make-shift bed of straw in as most a respectful a manner as could be achieved given the state of the corpse. Although Hamish had tried to warn them the Doctor and his companions were unprepared for the state the body was in. The skin had literally been ripped from the bone leaving a bloody mess of muscle and bone.

It was clear the three companions were shocked at the sight which lay before them. Amy instantly turned away from the body in disgust while Rory could clearly be heard throwing up at the gruesome sight. Even Jamie, who had witnessed the horrors of the Battle at Culloden, was visibly shaking at the sight. Only the Doctor seemed unperturbed by what he saw. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and instantly began scanning the body, muttering to himself every now and then.

'Yes, looks like he's been held down by someone or several people and then stabbed, look you can see where the stab wound must have pierced through the flesh here,' he pointed to a mark on the body, 'then the skin has been stripped from the body.'

'Yuck!' Rory exclaimed. 'Who would do something so horrific?'

'That, Rory Williams, is what I intend to find out,' the Doctor said, then turning to Hamish he asked. 'Can you show me where to you found the body?'

'Certainly I can.'

'Good, take me there now.'

DWDWDW

By the time they had reached the beach the sun had rose fully in the sky, much to Hamish's relief as it made it easier to find the spot where he and his men had first found the body. Once he located the spot and explained the circumstances that had led up to the body's discovery Hamish bade the Doctor and his companions farewell.

As he walked along the beach towards the village he felt his stomach churn, more so than when he found the mutated body, for now a hard task lay ahead of him. Now he had to inform Muirgen MacLean that her beloved husband had been killed.

The Doctor looked about him. He could see nothing unusual on the beach that could have caused the body to be skinned. In fact it looked like any other British beach the Doctor had seen and yet something didn't add up. As far as he was aware the Highlanders didn't go in for skinning their own. No, they were loyal to their clansmen to the point where they would die for their Laird if need be and he really couldn't imagine the Redcoats doing this, hanging and flogging their enemies, yes, but never something as extreme as this but if it wasn't the Highlanders or the Redcoats then who, or what, could have killed Donald MacLean?

What do you think happened, Doctor?' Amy asked.

'I'm not sure,' he answered truthfully, 'but I don't think that this was a straight forward murder.'

'Why?'

'Because, Pond, in all my travels through various periods of your plant's timeline I have never seen someone killed in such a brutal manner. There are certain species out there that would murder someone in such a manner but not humans.'

'What do _ye_ think killed him then?' Jamie asked.

'I'm not sure,' the Doctor confessed, 'but I know one thing, it definitely wasn't a Redcoat, that's for sure.'

'Perhaps if we spilt up we could find something,' Rory stated.

'Alright, but no wondering off, ok?'

'Yes, Doctor,' Amy and Rory chorused like a well-rehearsed choir.

'Good, right, Pond, you and Rory head further down the beach, towards the village. I'll head back this way, there's sure to be something there, after all this must have been the way he came. Only go so far along then, if you don't find anything, come straight back here and I'll do the same, understand?'

'Yes, Doctor,' Amy and Rory replied in union. Amy rolled her eyes.

With that they went their separate ways.

'Hey what about me?' Jamie asked, but it was too late as the others were too far away to hear him. _I'll just head up tae the cliffs then tae get a better view o' the surroundings_. He sighed; he was more suited to high ground anyway.

DWDWDW

Jamie had been right about one thing. He could certainly get a better view of the surroundings from up here. Looking right he could see all along the coast, past the village and towards Inverness, turning left he could see as far as the edge of Culloden Moor itself. Suddenly, his keen eyes spotted something lying very still on the beach below. Slowly he made his way down the hill.

With the stealth and cunning of his people, Jamie silently made his way closer to the object. When he was close enough he could see that the object was in fact another body, lying face down in the sand. Jamie rushed towards the body, hoping that someone else hadn't been killed. He had seen too much death and slaughter recently to which harm upon another.

As he reached the body Jamie knelt down and scooped it up into his arms. As he felt the weight in his arms some instinct told him that something was not right. He knew he was a strong lad but the body felt too light in his arms. Seeing as there was no obvious injuries on the back of the body Jamie slowly rolled the body over to check for signs of injury on the front. As he turned the body over Jamie saw that it was, in fact, the body of a woman. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was so perfect that it reminded Jamie of the elegant porcelain dolls Victoria had loved to fill her room on the TARDIS with. The woman had long ebony hair which framed her perfect features.

Suddenly Jamie jumped back in shock for where the woman's eyes should have been there were no eyes; only two empty sockets like those on a skeleton. It was then that Jamie realised why the woman's body had felt so light. It wasn't a living person after all, purely the skin of a person!

He dropped the body in shock and quickly moved away from it, completely repulsed by what he has seen. _Who could be so cruel tae murder such a beautiful young woman in such a horrific way?_ Suddenly, a memory of his grandmother came to Jamie's mind. She had been a frail old lady who had been beautiful in her youth, who spoke only the Gaelic and knew many ancient tales of their homeland, her name had been Iseabail. (Gaelic spelling of Isobel, pronounced "Ish-bale").

Jamie's mother had died when he was very young, and with his father busy tending to his croft and being the McLaren piper it had fallen upon Iseabail (his paternal grandmother) to raise the young Jamie. She had taught him the language of his people and how to play the bagpipes (all by ear since neither she nor Jamie's father could read) and had enthralled his young mind with the myths and legends of the Highlands (which she recited from memory), of the Fey Folk, brownies, trolls, kelpies, selkies and the Finfolk!

Jamie recalled that Iseabail had told him that the Finfolk were ancient mythical beasts, whom for centuries, long before man had roamed the moors, lived in the seas around Northern Scotland. They were formidable beasts who were prone to pirating, raiding, shipwrecking, trickery even human abduction. It was said that in order to sustain their human form and keep it looking young and beautiful a female Finfolk could not marry a male of her own kind for to do so would turn her into an ugly old hag; therefore, she would abduct human males and enforce them to marry her thus sustaining her youth and beauty.

_But why would the Finfolk want tae kill men if they need them tae remain young? Och, I'd better find the Doctor. He'll ken the answer I'm sure o' it!_

With that Jamie made his way along the coast in search of the Doctor, leaving the woman's skin still lying where he had left it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Doctor was busy examining a small limpet that was clinging to the side of a rock pool when, suddenly, he felt some shoving him from behind. He turned to see who it was a found Jamie tugging at the back of his tweed jacket. The young man's eyes were wide with fear.

'Have you seen these limpets, Jamie, they really are fascinating creatures,' the Doctor said clearly unaware that something had frightened his companion.

'Och, ne'er mind that, Doctor, ye have tae come and see what I've found.'

'What have you found? A clue into the murder?'

'Aye.'

'I've found a Finfolk skin,' Jamie stated, almost proudly.

The Doctor merely looked at Jamie as though the young Highlander had two heads.

'A what?' The Doctor looked at him perplexed.

'A Finfolk skin,' Jamie repeated. 'Do ye no' ken the tale o' the Finfolk?' he asked.

'Jamie,' the Doctor began gently, remembering that this was a more primitive time than he was accustomed to and that the people in this time had limited scientific knowledge and were often likely to believe in mythical creatures in an attempt to try and explain some of the things they could not understand, 'the Finfolk is a mythical creature. It does not exist.'

'But I'm telling ye, Doctor, I've found a Finfolk skin!' Jamie stated with complete conviction.

The Doctor sighed, if there was one thing he remembered from his previous incarnation's travels with Jamie it was that while the young lad's knowledge and understanding may be primitive due to the time period he originated from he certainly wasn't daft, oh yes, there had been times, during their travels, when the young Highlander had been impulsive and sometimes even reckless but Jamie McCrimmon was certainly no fool, heck, he adapted to life in the TARDIS quicker than some of the Doctor's companions whom had been from the time of space travel. At that moment the Doctor knew it would be unwise of him not to listen to Jamie.

'Come on, Jamie,' he said, 'show me where you found this Finfolk skin then.'

'Aye, alright then.'

DWDWDW

When the Doctor and Jamie reached the spot where Jamie had found the Finfolk skin there was nothing to be seen but the sand. The Doctor smiled at his companion with an "I told you so" look on his face, noticing the look Jamie began to protest.

'But it was right here, Doctor, I saw it!'

'I'm sure you saw something, Jamie, but not a Finfolk skin.'

Jamie regarded the Doctor with disdain.

'Ye think I'm draft but I'm no'. I ken'd what I saw.'

'I never once said you were draft, Jamie McCrimmon, but I think that what you saw wasn't what you thought you saw. No matter, whatever it was is gone and that looks like Amy and Rory coming back now.'

A few minutes later and the two newlyweds had re-joined the Doctor and Jamie. The Doctor asked them if they had found anything but they both shook their heads.

'I found something,' Jamie muttered, bitterly, 'but the Doctor doesnae believe me.'

Amy felt sorry for the young lad. She didn't know if was there shared nationality, the fact that Jamie was a part of her history, or his friendly demeanour but she had instantly taken a likening to the young Highlander and there were few people that got such an instant approval from Amelia Pond.

'Why don't you tell me what you saw? I'll believe you, I promise,' she told him.

Trusting her Jamie told her all about the Finfolk skin he had found and when she asked what a Finfolk was he told her the legend his grandmother had told him as a child.

'It's all impossible, of course, such a creature could never really exist,' the Doctor decreed.

'Aye, ye may think that, Doctor, but I've aye seen them before,' Jamie proclaimed. 'I've seen them destroy ships oot there in the sea afore. Great big beasties like giant serpents they were and they just smashed a ship tae pieces!'

'Never mind that now. What I think we should do is make our way to the village and try to talk to the locals there about Donald MacLean, see what his relationship was like with others in the village. Did he have family, what was his relationship like with his wife or, most importantly, enemies who may have wanted him dead? Come on.'

He made his way along beach with Amy and Rory beside him, hand in hand. Jamie followed a little way behind. Although he wouldn't admit to it he was sulking because the Doctor wouldn't listen to him or believe him.

_He can change his face as much as he likes but he ne'er changes inside. He's still a stubborn old goat who ne'er listens to a word I say. I ken'd what I saw alright and I ken I'll be right afore this is through._

DWDWDW

The village was small and primitive; at least by Amy and Rory's standards, there were no electric lights, no roads or cars. The buildings we built of stone with straw roofs and, as there was no central heating in the 1700s, they were bitterly cold particularly during the harsh Scottish winters. As a result the inhabitants were a hardy people. At this point in time the streets were deserted.

'There's no one here, Doctor,' Rory observed.

'Well this was a waste of time,' Amy moaned.

'Ach, disnae fret yesel' lassie, everyone's probably in the alehouse.'

'What?' Amy asked.

'He means the pub,' the Doctor whispered.

'Do you think we should try it, then?' Rory asked the young Highlander.

'Aye,' Jamie replied.

'Come on, then,' Amy yelled. 'You can even by me a drink, Rory.'

Rory merely rolled his eyes.

DWDWDW

Like all the buildings in the village the alehouse was a stone building. A sign swung precariously in the wind as the Doctor and his companions slowly entered the building.

Inside, the building was much the same as outside and definitely no warmer with its stone walls and stone floor. There were several tables and chairs spread out around the room on which sat a large number of burly, kilted Highlanders.

As Rory, Jamie and Amy went to get some drinks the Doctor noticed a small group of four women sitting in the corner. One of the women had her head bent. Seeing that the table next to them was vacant the Doctor sat down on the chair nearest to the table where the women were sat and proceed to eavesdrop on their conversation, hoping he wasn't too conspicuous.

'I'm so sorry for your loss Murdina,' one of the women said.

'Aye, well he ken'd the risks.'

_What risks? The risks of being killed in battle?_

The Doctor was puzzled. It was obvious from the tone of the conversation that one of the woman's husband's had been killed, he assumed in the battle of Culloden, and yet there was something odd about the young woman's behaviour. When she had spoken there been no emotion; no hint of sadness in her voice or tears in her eyes. In fact, she did not appear to be grieving at all. The Doctor knew that grieve affected people in different ways and some people were hit by a period of denial but something just didn't seem right to him at all.

Before the Doctor could think any more about the woman's puzzling behaviour the alehouse door burst open and a woman with black hair appeared at the doorway. She made her way over to the table where the four women were seated. From her facial expression it was clear to the Doctor (and the women) that she was in a state of shock.

'Whatever is the matter, Muirgen?'

'It's Donald!' she wailed. 'He's been killed!'

'How?'

'I – I dunno how,' she stammered. 'Hamish MacDonnell came tae see me. He told me he'd found Donald's body on the beach. After that I was tae stunned tae ask him anything else.'

'It's alright, Muirgen,' the landlady said, 'just sit yesel' doon and I'll get ye a wee dram. It'll help tae numb the shock.'

'Thank you, Sine,' Muirgen replied, meekly.

Gently she lowered herself into a seat next to Murdina; the young woman whose husband had also been killed. Murdina gently wrapped her arms around Muirgen as though it would bring comfort to both of them in their time of grief.

If it hadn't been previously then the Doctor's curiosity was now well and truly aroused. He knew that Muirgen had been referring to Donald MacLean as he had recalled that Hamish had mentioned going to inform Donald's wife of his death and that the wife's name was Muirgen.

_Two deaths in such a short period of time. These deaths have to be linked I'm sure of it but it can't be to the battle as that was over weeks ago and somehow I doubt the English Army would skin their enemies corpses. Something strange is going on in this village and I am determined to find out what!_

The Doctor got up from his chair and made his way over to the table were Muirgen, Murdina and their friends were sat.

The Doctor noticed that three of the women appeared to have webbed fingers but said nothing.

The four friends looked up at the stranger who merely smiled at them. .

'Can I help ye?' Sine, the landlady, asked. 'Do ye want another drink?'

'Hi,' the Doctor waved, casually, 'I'm the Doctor and I think it's me you can help you.'

'How can you help us?' Murdina asked.

'I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and thought I might be able to help. I'm good at these sorts of situations.'

The women eyed him suspiciously.

'Trust me,' he smiled, 'I'm a doctor! Now then you,' he pointed at Murdina, 'tell me, where you're husband's close, were they friends in any way?

'Not particularly,' Murdina remarked.

'Your husband caused those marks on your arms, didn't he?'

The Doctor pointed to Murdina's arm where several red marks could be seen. From the way the bruising has formed it was clear that this has been an injury that someone has inflicted upon her rather than being the result of an accident.

'An' so what if he did its no' like he's going tae do it again, is it?' Murdina snapped.

The Doctor said nothing and turned to Muirgen. 'What about you, Mrs MacLean, was your husband ever abusive to you?'

'Not in any way that was different tae the abuse most of the women in this village have suffered. It is no' an easy life being a Highlander's wife, ye ken!'

As the Doctor was about to get up and find his companions he noticed Muirgen's necklace. Attached to an elegant silver chain was a large silver amulet upon which had been carved the image of a sea serpent.

'That's an unusual necklace,' he remarked.

'This?' she said, looking down at the amulet. 'It's just an old necklace been in my clan for centuries and now if ye will all excuse me I'll be away home. It's been a long day.'

'I think I'll come with ye,' Murdina said.

The Doctor watched them as they sent goodnight to their friends and left the alehouse. Something was not right here at all, the Doctor was sure of it. He didn't know why but some Time Lord instant was telling them that there was something unusual about that necklace, as though it was not of this earth.

Gathering his companions together the Doctor left the alehouse and decided to make his way back to the beach. He had a haunch now and he just had to see if he was right.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Doctor raced down to the beach with his companions protesting for him to slow down but he seemed not to have heard them for he made no effort to lessen his pace.

Suddenly he stopped still. It was so sudden in fact that Amy, who had been behind him, almost crashed headlong into him.

A little way ahead stood Murdina standing over something as if she were protecting it. In the fading light the Doctor and his companions could just make out the empty female skin. With a shudder the Doctor recognised it as belonging to Muirgen.

'What are you doing?' the Doctor demanded.

'Only my duty. One that I have happily been doing for centuries!'

'Did she just say for centuries?' Rory asked.

'Hush, Rory!' the Doctor shushed. He turned to Murdina. 'What do you mean for centuries, how is that possible no human could live that long.'

'But I can, Doctor, thanks to the Finfolk. Centuries ago when I was but a young girl I was playing down here on the beach when, suddenly, I washed out to sea by a violent wave. I couldn't swim and I thought I was going to drown. Suddenly, I felt someone wrap their arms around me. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, porcelain skin, perfect features and long, ebony hair. She saved my life and I was forever in her debt. She offered me eternal youth on the condition that I protected her human skin, you see, every century the female Finfolk comes a shore to hunt. She will take a human form and find a man to fall in love with her and then she will marry him and take to the sea where she will strip his body of the flesh which she will devour.'

'Why?' Amy finds herself asking.

'It is the only way tae keep her human form young and attractive. If she does not do this then her human form will become haggard and she will revert tae her natural form - a hideous being – she will become a monster.'

'She's already a monster,' the Doctor growled, 'and so are you for protecting her skin.'

'You think I had a choice!' Murdina snapped. 'She killed my husband too! He found out the truth about her and she killed him!'

'And her husband?'

'Revenge for the way he had treated her.' She began to cry. 'I'm so sorry. I didn't want all those innocent men to die. Despite how he treated me I didn't want Iain to die but I had no choice!'

The Doctor regarded her with contempt. 'There is _always _a choice,' he spat.

He pointed the sonic screwdriver at the skin lying lifeless on the sand.

'What are you doing?' Murdina demanded.

'What _you_ should have done a long time ago. Destroying the human skin. If I destroy this it will destroy her that's why she needs you to protect it, isn't it? So that it cannot be destroyed while she is in her true form.'

'No,' screamed Murdina, 'you can't!'

She reached forward quickly grabbing Rory who happen to be nearest to her. She pulled him close and drew her dirk, pointing it at his jugular.

'One move and I'll slit your friend's throat.'

'Rory!' Amy cried.

'Now don't try anything hasty,' the Doctor said.

Suddenly the was a cry of _Creag an Turie _and from seemingly nowhere Jamie lunged himself at Murdina, grabbing her and pulling her into a neck lock with one arm, while with the other he tried to wrestle the dirk from her hand.

Murdina was strong but with her movement restricted and one arm around Rory Jamie proved stronger and was able to wrestle the dirk from her. Spent with exhaustion she let go of Rory as Jamie pointed her own dirk at her stomach.

'Make one move an' I'll cut ye!' he told her.

Before Murdina could respond there was a loud roar from the sea and a gigantic, sinuous serpent-like creature appeared from the water. It seemed to toss something into the air before disappearing beneath the waves.

With a sickening thought Amy realised that the object that had been tossed had been the body of a man.

'What was that?' she cried.

'That was my mistress!' Murdina exclaimed. 'She has now devoured enough human skins and has risen once again!'

'But I thought you said that she wouldn't turn into a monster if she devoured the skins!' Amy cried.

Murdina cocked her head back and let out a hollow evil-sounding laugh.

'You silly girl,' she mocked Amy, 'do you no' ken the legend of the Finfolk. This is their true form. Look at it, isn't it beautiful and majestic! When I said she would become a monster I was meanin' that she would become an' auld hag if she disna' use the skins tae keep her young. Ye see, we humans really are a swallow species so obsessed with beauty and attractiveness that we scorn at those who are unattractive and treat them as though they were monsters.'

'That _creature_ is not of this world. Where has she come from?' the Doctor spat.

'Ah, the lonely Doctor, the one who dares to call my mistress a monster yet he was the one who let his own people die. Ye are the monster here, Doctor.'

Jamie shot the Doctor a quizzical look. The Time Lords may have been pompous know-it-alls but surely the kindly Doctor wouldn't have killed his own people? He was about to ask the Doctor if it was true when the Doctor gave him a look which said 'not now, Jamie,' and, for once, thought it best to keep quiet at that moment.

The Doctor turned to Murdina and barked: 'We can trade insults all day but you still haven't told me the truth. Where does your mistress come from?'

'The truth? Ye want the truth, Doctor? Well here's your truth! Millennia ago, my mistress and her family were majestic creatures, roaming the vast expanses of the great ocean planet, Oceanus. They happily lived this way for millennia until their sun exploded into a giant supernova. It burnt all it is path and dried up the oceans to such extremes that Oceanus became a barren and desert planet. Fearing for their lives the Finfolk fled to the stars intending to find another planet that contained a large expanse of water like their own.'

'But why did they come here?' Jamie asked still very much confused.

'Don't you see?' the Doctor beamed. 'Your planet is over 70% water; the only planet, besides Oceanus, in the known galaxies to be covered in such much water! That is why they settled here.'

'Exactly, Doctor,' Murdina replied.

'Except there was one problem with all this, wasn't there? When the Finfolk left Oceanus in search of new home they were looking for an uninhabited planet to settle on and hadn't counted on their new home being already inhabited or, despite the fact that is more sea than land, the land inhabitants being more powerful and able to keep the Finfolk confined to sea for the most part. That's why they take human forms and seduce young men. To make themselves stronger so that they can take over the entire planet! But this stops now!'

'Ye are clever, Doctor, but ye're tae late tae stop this!' Murdina cried.

As she spoke several more of the giant serpents rose from the sea. There long, sinuous bodies rising high above the water. The Doctor and his companions merely stared at them in awe.

'Beautiful,' the Doctor marvelled, 'simply beautiful.'

'Never mind that, Doctor, what do we do?' Amy shouted, breaking the Doctor from his admiration.

'As I said earlier we need to destroy the human skins! Destroy the skins and we will destroy the creatures!'

'But how can we destroy them when we don't know where they are?' Rory asked.

'We make her tell us where they are,' Jamie answered, his fist clenched.

'No,' the Doctor said, gently placing a hand on his friend's arm. 'Throwing our weight around won't help.'

'Ach, but Doctor-' Jamie began to protest.

'Jamie!' the Doctor warned in a way that, to Jamie, made him sound very much like his 2nd incarnation; whom Jamie had travelled with.

'Fine,' Jamie conceded, 'but what dae we do?'

'I'm not sure yet, Jamie.'

'Ach, you mean ye haven't come up with one of your clever wee ideas yet,' Jamie sounded dismayed.

'Don't worry,' the Doctor smiled. 'I will but first we need to find the rest of the skins.'

'Aye,' Jamie agreed, 'but yon lassie here is coming with us,' he pointed at Murdina. 'I dinnae trust her no' tae make a run for it if we leave her here.'

'Yes, that's probably best, Jamie,' the Doctor agreed, 'and she can bring that skin with her so that its occupant cannot take human form again.'

'Shall we split up again, Doctor?' Rory asked.

'No, we'll stick together,' the Doctor ordered.

'Right, which way then, Doctor?' Amy asked.

'Come on, we'll go back this way.'

Jamie yanked Murdina to her feet and draped the skin over his right shoulder.

'Come on ye, this way,' he hissed.

DWDWDW

They searched along the beach for several hours but with no avail; as their search didn't turn up anything. Amy sighed, Rory groaned and Jamie began kicking the sand with frustration, even the Doctor seemed a little agitated. Murdina smiled, she was glad that they were having difficulties finding the skins but was slightly disappointed as she thought that someone as intelligent as the Doctor would have figured out where they were all hidden by now.

Suddenly, the Doctor sat bolt upright. 'That's it!' he exclaimed.

'What's it?' Rory sighed.

'Where the skins are.'

'And?' Amy began.

'Where did we first meet her?' the Doctor asked, pointing at Murdina.

'The alehouse,' Rory answered, 'but what's tha-'

'The alehouse,' the Doctor interrupted. 'Brilliant, Rory.'

Doctor what's going on?' Jamie asked, puzzled.

'Oh Jamie; brave, loyal, dependable Jamie, don't you see?'

'No,' Jamie answered, slightly dismayed.

'Don't worry, Jamie, I don't understand but the Doctor's going to explain, aren't you?' Amy said, shooting the Doctor a look which said "start talking or else."

'Yes, Pond, well it's simple really. We first met Murdina in the alehouse where she was talking with a group of women. I bet if we go back to the alehouse we will find the skins there.'

'How can ye be so sure, Doctor?'

'Because, those women were all Finfolk!'

'Oh, very well clever, Doctor, you finally figured it out!' Murdina hissed, sarcastically. 'But how are ye going tae stop them?'

DWDWDW

As they raced along to the alehouse the Doctor explained how he had worked out that the women in the alehouse were all Finfolk.

'The first thing that made me suspicious was that none of them were shocked to hear of the death of Donald MacLean, as if they had been waiting all evening for Muirgen to inform them of his murder. Now, someone would only do that if already knew of the death which means-'

'That they were ever witnesses or involved in the murder,' Rory concluded.

'Exactly, well done, Rory!'

'Now, they weren't witnesses so they must have been involved in the murder. They all know Murdina well so that leads me to conclude that they were Finfolk but there was one, over thing, big, big , thing, well ok, not that big, that gave them away. Any ideas, anyone?'

'Oh, I disnae ken they all had webbed fingers,' Jamie half-joked.

'Yes, brilliant, Jamie McCrimmon. They all had webbed-fingers, a side effect of them taking human form.'

'But what about Muirgen, she didn't have webbed fingers?' Amy stated.

'Yes, well spotted, Pond, and there's a reason for that. Muirgen has been taking human form a lot longer than her sisters. She has perfected her human form whereas they are still working on theirs. You see, Muirgen is the leader, and in the early days she would have been the only one to take human form but there are more humans now and she needed her sisters to take human form to help her devour more men. They haven't been taking a human form as long as her and, therefore, haven't ironed out all the bugs, so to speak.'

By this time they had reached the alehouse. Jamie went up to the door and pulled at the handle but it was clearly locked.

'Ach, Doctor, it's locked!' he cried, dismayed. 'We'll ne'er get in noo!'

'That's alright; we don't want to be in the front door anyway. We want to find the cellar.'

It was Rory who found the wooden doors on the ground which led to the cellar. Again, Jamie tried to open the doors and again he found that these doors were also locked. 'Oh no!' he cried. 'These ones are locked as well. It's nae good, Doctor.'

The Doctor merely pulled out his sonic screwdriver and, adjusting the settings, aimed at the door. The screwdriver buzzed and the lock broke. Jamie pulled the doors open and, with a cry of 'Geronimo!' the Doctor slid down the ramp which was used to roll the ale barrels up from the cellar. Amy and Rory immediately followed him. Murdina hung back as if looking for a way to escape but Jamie placed a hand on her shoulder.

'Disnae think aboot it, lass, ye'll no' escape that easily.'

Reluctantly she made her way down the ramp with Jamie following close behind, clutching tightly to the bottom of his kilt. The last thing the young Highlander wanted was for it to fly up and everyone get an eye full. That would just be plain embarrassing!

The cellar was dark and dank. Jamie let out (a thankfully unseen) voluntary shudder. The place reminded him too much of the goal where the Redcoats had incarcerated him.

'It's dark in here!' Amy moaned.

Rory reached up and found a wooden torch in a holder just above his head. The pulled it out of the holder and the Doctor produced a match from his jacket pocket (what the Time Lord kept in that jacket amazed Rory sometimes). The Doctor struck the match on the wall, producing a flame and lit the torch.

Taking the torch from Rory the Doctor raised it just above his head. In the light the companions could see a small huddle of skins. Some they could instantly recognise like the lady who owned the pub. They were shocked at how many they were. Jamie, in particular, was alarmed to realise that many of these skins were people whom he had known from the village since he was a boy!

'Doctor what do we do?' Amy hissed.

'As I said before, we destroy the skins!'

'Yes, but how?' Rory asked.

'Ah, still not sure.'

'Ye mean ye still haven't come up with a clever wee plan,' Jamie cried, disheartened.

'Sorry,' the Doctor replied, an apologetic look on his face.

'Doctor, why not use the sonic screwdriver? It seems to be able to do everything else I'm sure it could destroy the skins!' Amy suggested.

'Of course, Pond, why didn't I think of that?'

Amy rolled her eyes.

The Doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver at the skins and aimed. Instantly, the skins seemed to shimmer and then explode, disintegrating into a thousand tiny pieces. The Doctor ordered Jamie to lay Muirgen's skin on the floor so that he could also destroy that in the same way.

Jamie gently lay the skin on the ground as, once more, the Doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver and aimed. Like her sisters, Muirgen's skin also exploded and disintegrated. The Doctor smiled and, turning to his companions, he said:

'Now then, that should have also destroyed the original forms. Let's get back to the beach and find out!'

DWDWDW

When they returned to the beach the Doctor and his companions were dismayed to find that one of the serpent creatures was still towering high above the waves.

'Doctor, we've destroyed all the skins but why is one of the creatures still alive?' Rory cried.

'You fools!' Murdina hissed. 'My mistress is too strong now; destroying her skin is not enough to kill her!'

'Then how do we destroy her?' the Doctor asked.

'As if I'm going to tell you!'

'I SAID HOW TO WE DESTORY HER,' the Doctor demanded, his eyes flashing with rage.

Murdina thought about trying to make a break and run but Jamie was restraining her and much too strong for her to break away from. Unlike Lieutenant Smythe Murdina was not frightened by the Doctor and spat:

'I will never help you! The Finfolk have promised me eternity, Doctor, why would I want to give that up?'

'Oh, but it hurts, doesn't it, living for such a long time? Watching your loved ones growing old and dying while you just go on for ever and ever, living such a long time, getting close to others whose lives are so fleeting, eventually you turn away from humanity and love for fear of losing again. Turning to helping those who gave you this gift instead. They were the only ones who could understand how you were feeling so you devoted yourself to them and now you cannot see that they are using you. Once they get what they want they will cast you aside like the insignificant thing that you are to them!'

There were tears in Murdina's eyes as she realised that all that the Doctor had said was true.

'Stop it, Doctor,' she wailed. 'I cannae take anymore. I've been such a fool, wasted my life! I should have spent my time with family, enjoying what little time I had with them but I dinnae I became obsessed with helping the Finfolk and for what? Now it's too late to rectify everything!'

'No its not,' the Doctor soothed, 'you can still do the right thing; tell me how I destroy, Muirgen.'

'If I help you will I finally be free from her hold, Doctor?'

'Yes, you'll finally be free.'

'Thank you. Your sonic screwdriver won't work on her like it did the skins, Doctor. There is only one way to kill her. Doctor, you must drive a claymore through her heart. It's the only way!'

'How are we going to drive a claymore through the heart of a giant serpent?' Rory asked.

'I'm afraid ye'll have to figure that one out on your own,' Murdina replied.

'I'll dae it, Doctor,' Jamie said before anyone else could speak.

_No Jamie, I can't let you risk your life for me!_

Noticing the Doctor's silence Jamie said: 'Ye know I can dae it, Doctor, I've ne'er let ye doon and I ne'er will! Besides I'm the only one who kens how tae use a claymore!'

The Doctor sighed. He knew his young friend was right but he still wasn't keen on the idea of the Highlander risking his life for him. He knew Jamie was loyal, in fact it was one of qualities he admired about his friend, but he didn't want another person to die because of trying to helping him but he also knew that his young friend was extremely stubborn and that there was no way of making him change his mind once it was made up.

'Alright but be careful!' he conceded.

'Ach, stop fretting,' Jamie cried as he raced back to the beach.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

By the time Jamie reached the sea shore it was completely dark. The moon rose high above the sky, casting long shadows across the beach making the whole place look even more ominous than it already was.

Anyone else might have felt stricken with fear at what they were about to do, perhaps the butterflies would be fluttering in their stomach, but not Jamie McCrimmon for he was a tough Highland lad; bred on the wild hills of the Scottish Highlands who, although only a piper's son, had cut his teeth on fighting and slaying the Redcoats all in the name of the true king, Bonnie Prince Charlie. No alien beastie was ever going to frighten him away!

Coldness settled in his belly as he called out to the sea: 'Come oot, yer beastie! Come oot an' face me!'

At that moment the waves parted and a giant sea serpent rose out of the water. In her true form Muirgen really was an intimidating creature. Her body was long and sinuous and rose several meters above the water. She had a lizard-like head and when she opened her mouth she revealed several sharp teeth which looked like huge daggers. She truly was a formidable beast.

On the shore Jamie stood back slightly, not because he was frightened but in sheer awe of the beast. Earlier, when he had seen her toss the body from the sea, he had not been close enough to truly appreciate the size and scale of the beast. Now that he was able to see her up close for himself he was able to marvel at her. Not that any of that would deter him for his task. He had promised the Doctor he would destroy the beast and destroy her he shall!

'Come on ye great beastie, I'll have ye!' he cried a look of such pure furiousness upon this face that, at that precise moment, it would not have been difficult to believe this pint-sized boy-not-quite-yet-man had indeed single-handedly chased and killed a Redcoat over Culloden moor.

However, Muirgen was not impressed by the boy's threats. She looked him over. What could this mere boy do against her size and might? Yes, his friend had managed to slay her family but he was a clever man and not of this world, much more of a match for than the pathetic human that lay before her. She would slay this impertinent child and then conquer the planet!

She lowered her head, her mouth open so that, once again, Jamie could see her dagger-like teeth, ready to strike and devour her prey. At that moment her eyes met Jamie's and she stared deeply into them. For a split second she saw all the creatures that Jamie had helped the Doctor defeat; Daleks, Cybermen, Macra, Yeti, Krotons, the Dominators with their Quarks, Ice Warriors. At that same moment she also felt that strong psychic power that seemed to radiate from Jamie like a beacon and it was then that she realised that this young man was dangerous and that she had done the worst thing possible; she had underestimated him!

DWDWDW

Jamie watched the beast with interest. She had lowered herself as if ready to strike at him but, for some reason unknown to him, she had hesitated in her attack. He could not understand why but he did understand one thing. She had let her guard down and had left herself vulnerable. Now Jamie had his chance to strike.

Praying that luck and fortune were on his side, Jamie raised his claymore and, swirling the sword up and over his head in a circular motion he charged forward to strike at the creature's exposed chest.

'Creag an Turie!' cried Jamie, as he lounged towards the beast.

He thrust the claymore into her chest, twisting and turning the sword as he felt for the heart. With one final thrust he pierced the heart. The beast let out an almighty cry. Jamie shook to the core, for he had never heard such an eerie, unnatural, scream. Muirgen withered and twisted, clearly in pain before, suddenly, hitting the waves below, sending a cascade of water across the sea shore and causing Jamie to jump back in case he were injured or drowned from the momentum.

Muirgen hissed slightly and, with her dying breath, whispered: 'The Sisterhood shall rise, again!' She gave one final shudder and then lay still on the beach; her eyes glazed over with death.

"_The Sisterhood shall rise, again." What does that mean?_

He decided to think no more about it. Carefully he climbed the body of the slain Finfolk and removed his now bloody claymore from her chest.

At a safe distance the Doctor, Amy and Rory had been watching the event unfold. As the beast was slain Amy hugged Rory and cried: 'He did it! Didn't he tell us he would do it, Doctor?'

The Doctor said nothing but merely smiled. He had never felt prouder of the young Highlander than he did at that moment.

A female voice broke up the merriment. 'Guess it is time for me to go. I'm finally free!'

They all glanced round to see that it was Murdina who had spoken. There were tears of joy streaming down her face and, as the Doctor and his friends watched, she seemed to rapidly age before their eyes. She went from being a beautiful young woman in her 20s to a middle-aged woman and on until, finally, she became a wizened old lady, bent with frailty and age. 'Thank you, Doctor, for freeing me. I can be with my family again at last!'

With that her body aged until it became no more than a skeleton before disintegrating to dust. Murdina had aged to death and could at last find the peace she had craved for millennia.

The Doctor smiled as he watched Jamie make his way back along the beach towards them. The sun was starting to rise and the seagulls could be heard calling out to sea. The waves lashed peacefully against the rocks. At last, the Scottish Highlands were free from the Finfolk who had haunted them for millennia.


	8. Epilogue

Author's Note: This is the final chapter for this story. I am currently on writing the second story in this series and up to have it uploaded soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue <strong>

A feeling of déjà vu haunted Jamie as he led the Doctor and his companions across the moors to the marvellous blue box which Jamie knew was bigger on the inside than on the outside. He remembered he had done this before only a few months ago when he had led the Doctor, Ben and Polly across the moors and waved them goodbye or had he gone with them? Although he had all his memories still intact, that particular one seemed the haziest; as if there had been two different outcomes to the one event.

The Doctor opened the door to the blue wooden box with his key and stepped inside, Amy and Rory following behind him. They turned to wave goodbye to Jamie but the face that met them was one of sadness. The young Highlander had his head bent but it was clear that he was crestfallen over their imminent departure.

'What's the matter, Jamie?' Amy asked him, gently.

'I disnae want tae stay here. Can I no' come travelling wi' ye again, Doctor?'

'No, it's too dangerous. Your timeline has already been split into two separate, alternative and co-existing timelines it would be dangerous to add more to the continuum, besides what if we run into our previous selves again?

'You always tell us that time can be rewritten, Doctor,' Amy stated.

'Yes, I do but I also tell you that it can create all sorts of paradoxes if people cross their own timelines and that can be dangerous.'

'Please, Doctor, let me come with ye.' Jamie pleaded. 'There's nothing left for me here. My clan thinks I've gone mad and if I go back there the Redcoats will catch me again. I cannae go through what they did to me, again. The things they did, Doctor, they were degrading and shameful. It would make yon lassie here blush!'

Amy was just about to tell him that she was a 21st century woman and nothing could make her blush when she caught the look in Jamie's eyes. They were tired and defeated and full of shame, as though this was a man who had had all this strength and vigour stripped from him. His eyes were pleading with the Doctor to take him with them; shinning from unshed tears. At that moment a look of understanding passed through Amy. She realised then what the Redcoats had done to this young man and it went beyond a series of beatings. Although he was strong she realised that once they had him shackled to the wall they could have easily have overpowered him. She swallowed in horror at the thought.

'It's ok, Jamie, don't say anyone more. You can come with us.'

'Amy!' the Doctor warned.

'Look, Doctor, I don't care about timelines and what-not. Jamie's been battered and beaten it's not fair to leave him here.'

The Doctor frowned and then the light seemed to dawn.

'It's more than just a few beatings, isn't it?' he whispered to Amy.

'I'll tell you later,' she whispered back. Aloud she said: 'Come on, stupid head, Jamie off we go!'

As they entered the TARDIS Jamie whispered to Rory:

'Does she often speak tae ye like that?'

'All the time,' Rory sighed before entering the TARDIS.

Jamie sighed. He would never understand 21st Century men and the way they let their women walk all over them.

_Still at least I am home agen, at last!_

With a huge smile on his face Jamie closed the TARDIS doors behind him as the time machine whooshed into life and de-materialised.

DWDWDW

Far behind the mists of time and space in a grand, medieval cathedral, a middle-aged woman sits at a desk. On the desk is a small monitor on which can be seen the image of Jamie McCrimmon, smiling as he closes the TARDIS doors behind him.

The woman reclines back in her chair and smiles a malevolent smile. After years of waiting her plan is finally starting to come together.

Behind her stand three young women all dressed in long, silky maroon coloured robes. Their faces painted with elaborate makeup, their eyebrows and under the eyes are painted red while they wear gold eye shadow (giving an appearance of flames). Their bridges of their noses and their lips have also been painted gold. One of them stands further forward than the others. She is the eldest and clearly the leader of the group.

'Well, Lady, is he the one?' the eldest asks.

'Yes,' the woman replies, 'he is the one. I can sense his abilities are strong and that the Time Lord will help him enhance them. The time is almost upon us.'

'What time?' the youngest asks, she is innocent and naïve and has not been with the Sisterhood very long.

'The time to cash in our bargain!'

She lets out an evil, hollow laugh.

*** End of Episode 1 ***


End file.
